Social work school teaches theory, ethics, and practice skills - but there are some lessons you only learn once you’re actually in the field.

In this episode, Dr. Meyers sits down with a former BSW student/MSW graduate for an honest conversation about what they wish they had learned in social work school. From burnout and boundary-setting to imposter syndrome, workplace realities, practicum challenges, and navigating the transition from student to professional, this episode keeps it real about the parts of social work education that often go unspoken.

Whether you’re a BSW or MSW student, a new social worker, or someone considering entering the profession, this conversation offers practical insight, validation, and advice we wish we had earlier. Tune in for an authentic, reflective, and empowering discussion about becoming a social worker in the real world.

Anthony Gaetani, LMSW, earned his Bachelor of Social Work from Molloy University and his Master of Social Work from Fordham University. He has experience working with diverse populations across inpatient and outpatient settings and currently works as an inpatient psychiatric social worker supporting individuals experiencing acute psychiatric challenges through comprehensive assessment, interdisciplinary collaboration and linkage to community-based resources that promote long-term stability. He approaches social work as both a profession and a calling, grounded in the belief that every individual deserves dignity, respect and the opportunity to thrive beyond hospitalization.

After more than three years of exploring the inner world of therapists, countertransference, and the emotional realities of helping others, What Would Dr. Meyers Do? is entering a new chapter.

In this special episode, Dr. Meyers reflects on the evolution of the podcast and introduces Between Practice and Purpose - a new collaborative blog created alongside two former BSW students. Together, they explore the messy, meaningful space between professional roles and personal growth: the wins, the struggles, the uncertainty, and the moments of insight that shape who we are both inside and outside of the work we do.
This conversation goes beyond social work and therapy. It’s about reflection, identity, emotional growth, purpose, relationships, and navigating life with honesty and self-awareness. In the episode, Dr. Meyers shares the story behind the blog, why writing felt like the next step, and shares one of the blog posts as an invitation into the conversations to come.
Whether you are a therapist, social worker, student, helper, or simply someone trying to better understand yourself and others, this episode offers a thoughtful look at growth, vulnerability, and what happens between practice and purpose.

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This conversation on sibling abuse remains one of the most important topics discussed on What Would Dr. Meyers Do? As awareness of sibling abuse continues to grow, this episode continues to resonate deeply with listeners and remains an essential conversation for survivors, families and mental health professionals.

In this episode, Rachael shares her story of survival after enduring emotional and physical abuse from a sibling. She reflects on her journey toward self-care, self-preservation and healing, including the difficult decision to cut off contact with her abusive brother.

Rachael also shares her path toward reunification and repair, offering a powerful perspective on recovery from sibling abuse, restoration and finding inner peace.

In this deeply personal solo episode, Dr. Meyers reflects on what she has learned from being a caregiver to aging parents and the emotional complexity that comes with caregiving, grief and role reversal.

She explores the realities of caring for parents experiencing cognitive decline, including the guilt, frustration, resentment and sadness that many adult children quietly carry. The episode also examines how unresolved family dynamics and childhood experiences can resurface during caregiving, shaping the way we respond to aging parents.

A thoughtful conversation about caregiver stress, dementia, empathy, family relationships and finding compassion for both ourselves and our parents during one of life’s most difficult transitions.

Young adults are struggling. Many aren’t adept at handling life challenges: communication, managing frustration, the need for immediate gratification, and navigating conflict.

There’s a growing conversation about whether kids today are being “coddled”—shielded from discomfort, failure, and struggle—and how that may impact resilience and independence.

In this episode, I’m joined by returning guest Ruthie Kalai, LCSW, to unpack the shift in parenting from previous generations—where independence was often prioritized—to today’s culture of high involvement, protection, and emotional attunement. Together, we explore when support becomes overprotective parenting and how well-intentioned efforts can sometimes interfere with the development of problem-solving skills, emotional regulation, and self-reliance.

This conversation isn’t about blaming parents or criticizing a generation. It’s about understanding the balance between care and growth—and how we can better prepare young people for the realities of life. Because sometimes, the most supportive thing we can do is step back.

Ruthie Kalai, LCSW, has over 20 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and adults. She has a particular interest in working with people in their 20s and 30s. You can learn more about her at ruthiekalai.com.

Connie Palmer, LCSW, offers a thoughtful and clinically grounded conversation on codependency, exploring what it is, where it comes from, and how healing is possible. Drawing from both personal and professional experience, she helps us better understand codependent behavior and how it shows up in everyday life.

Together, we unpack the societal shame often associated with codependency and reframe these patterns as adaptive survival responses rooted in trauma. Connie explains how codependency develops over time and how it appears across relationships—with partners, friends, and within broader attachment styles and relational dynamics.

This episode also explores how anxious attachment and avoidant attachment can shape relationship patterns, along with the emotional impact of prioritizing others’ needs over your own. Connie shares practical insight into recognizing these patterns, setting healthy boundaries, and beginning the process of healing from codependency with greater self-awareness and compassion.

Connie Palmer, a licensed clinical social worker, is an experienced teacher, presenter, therapist, and school counselor who has spent more than thirty years working with children, youth, and families. She is the owner of Therapeutic Learning Connections which offers social, emotional learning workshops to mental health professionals, community organizations, schools, and workplaces. She is also a Grief Education Consultant for Imagine, a Center for Coping with Loss in Mountainside, NJ which offers grief support groups and grief education. She can be reached at Connie@TLConnections.org.

Pause, Notice, Respond. We are moving beyond the wellness trend to explore how mindfulness in therapy actually works in clinical practice. In this episode, we explore how mindfulness moves beyond a wellness buzzword and becomes a meaningful clinical tool in therapy sessions. We discuss how therapists introduce mindfulness techniques in practice, how it supports trauma-informed care, and what happens internally for clinicians when sessions become emotionally intense. We will also share practical strategies such as guided meditation, body scans, and other grounding techniques. Whether you’re a clinician or simply curious about the role of mindfulness in mental health, this episode offers an honest look at how present-moment awareness can shift therapeutic work. Mindfulness is everywhere—but what does it actually look like in therapy?

Natalie Nieves is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), counselor educator in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Molloy University, and a doctoral candidate at Montclair State University, where she is expected to graduate this May!

During her doctoral teaching internship, she developed a Mindfulness and Counseling course shaped by her mentorship with Dr. Sheely Moore, her personal meditation and yoga practice, and the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn. Influenced by Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), the course integrates contemplative practice with clinical skill development. Natalie and Dr. Sheely-Moore’s manuscript on utilizing mindfulness and embodied pedagogy to address racial microaggressions in the classroom will be published in an upcoming issue of ACES Teaching Practice Briefs. Outside of academia, Natalie operates a private practice serving predominantly women of color. Grounded in multicultural competency, she integrates cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and restorative practices such as mindfulness to strengthen the mind–body connection while honoring clients’ intersecting cultural identities.

In this episode, Dr. Meyers sits down with Kate Lund, a clinical psychologist and resilience expert, to explore a shift in how we understand challenges and support emotional resilience in children, families, and ourselves.

Together, they unpack what it means to see children not as problems to fix, but as emotional human beings to support. Kate explains how reframing behavior through a strengths-based parenting approach can influence the parent-child relationship and support emotional regulation, flexibility, and self-awareness.

The conversation focuses on how resilience develops through everyday experiences, not just in response to adversity. Dr. Meyers and Kate discuss how parents can support emotional growth, confidence, and adaptability in ordinary moments, helping children build internal resources over time.

Dr. Kate Lund, is a psychologist, TEDx speaker, best-selling author, and host of The Optimized Mind podcast. Her book Step Away—The Keys to Resilient Parenting, is available on amazon and focuses on small, practical steps for parents and leaders facing burnout, setbacks, or those "ugly cry in the car" days.